Election debate on seniors issues in Sudbury
Issues facing seniors in the Sept. 20 federal election were the focus of a debate in Sudbury Tuesday. The groups CARP and Friendly to Seniors Sudbury hosted the event.
"Both are advocacy groups for seniors and, as most of us know, there are more seniors in Sudbury relative to population than any other city in Ontario -- and seniors vote," said John Lindsay, the interim chair of CARP and the president of Friendly to Seniors Sudbury.
The Ontario Health Coalition Sudbury chapter wants to phase out for profit long term care in favour of public ownership and points to what happened in the pandemic.
"There were the most deaths that happened in long term care happened in for-profit facilities," said Dot Klein, of the coalition.
Candidates were give the opportunity to respond.
"The divide between the devastation was actually quite clear – for-profit homes performed so much worse than public … owned homes," said Andreane Chenier, the Nickel Belt NDP candidate.
"And so the NDP we are committed to removing the profit from healthcare."
"The issue is ensuring that there is accountability, there is standards and the federal government has stepped up to the plate," said Marc Serré, Liberal incumbent in Nickel Belt. "We have put over $3 billion on the table," said Marc Serré.
"We will be hiring more personal care workers -- 50,000 more -- across Canada. We will also be increasing the wages," said Viviane Lapointe, the Sudbury Liberal candidate.
"Private public partnerships can work, but the key is regulation and robust funding mechanisms to ensure that whatever model of long term care provinces chooses to pursue, that they are supported," said Charles Humphrey, the Nickel Belt Conservative candidate.
Candidates were also asked if they support national pharmacare.
"No one should be forced to choose between the medicine that they need and their next meal, so we definitely support pharmacare," said Nadia Verrelli, the Sudbury NDP candidate.
"National pharmacare is not a project that we need to get moving now," said Ian Symington, the Sudbury Conservative candidate. "I don't think there is a lot of money in this country. We are in heavy deficits."
Concerns were also raised about skyrocketing real estate prices, high rents and the cost of living in long term care.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.